Far from never:The Lovers Past Midnight
by KittyTylz
Summary: Enraptured when she walked into the Grill in the middle of a storm, it was a case of déjà vu for Damon, she still took his breath away. It had been 147 years since he'd seen her last and she was still human but he refused to believe Stefan was right. Damon knew for sure it was her, she wasn't a doppelganger. He's the evil brother, and what evil brother wants, evil brother gets...
1. Night of revived hope

**AN- **Hey guys my first TVD fic. I'm usually a Delena fan but for the purpose of this fic I had to go OC. It won't follow all the plot lines from VD but please just work with me on this, pm me if you have any questions. I've had this plot line for a while now and it's fairly complicated so if you have any questions with regards to the plot along the way feel free to ask me and I'll get back to you. Suggestions are also most welcome *smiles*. Dear flamers be warned, I cry, *laughs*, okay kidding but still flames are extremely cruel and discouraging so please refrain from doing so. In much the same fashion as my other fics if you want me to continue please review and let me know. I'll put up pics of the characters if the story takes off. They'll be hidden stuff that you can pick up on along the way, shout outs to all those who can find them. Much love xoxo Kat.

**Disclaimer- **Don't own Vampire Diaries or its characters but the plot is my baby.

**Summary-** It's been 147 years there's no possible that it was her that he was seeing before him. Surely fate was playing a cruel joke… If only Damon knew what fate had planned for them right at the very beginning… _Far from never, lovers past midnight, no one knows how, but the Dark Prince and White Princess cross paths once again._ AU/OC Possessive Damon.

**~ . ~ . ~Chap 1: Night of revived hope ~ . ~ . ~**

_~Tattoo your name across my heart so it will remain  
Not even death can make us part~_

On this stormy night the Grille was the 'usual'. Coloured in happiness? Relaxing fun with friends? Err, **No**. Sure, the friends were here **but** fun, happy or remotely relaxed were not words to describe them at this point. Matt was waiting tables till 10. Caroline was watching the clock intently, willing the remaining 15 minutes of his shift to tick by faster. Bonnie was trying to pry her off the stool she was perched on and Stefan and I were trying in vain to concentrate on the pool game we were playing against Jeremy and Anna. Ultimately everyone was miserable and on edge. _**That **_was the new 'usual' for the Grille ever since Katherine Pierce decided to grace Mystic Falls with her presence again.

She had made it clear that night that under no circumstances was she planning to leave Mystic Falls anytime soon. Having a look alike was apparently too appealing a game to pass up for her. Now her favourite pastime was impersonating me to create problems in my already complicated life. From vamping out in front of Caroline and telling her that I had been the one feeding off and compelling her, to flipping Ric off in class while I was at home sick, she was all out to complicate my 'existence' as she so mildly put it. Thankfully Ric knew it wasn't me so I wasn't in trouble when I got back but the Caroline situation wasn't quite as easy to work around, Stefan wouldn't have been able to effectively erase her memory and Damon wasn't going to do it seeing as my misery brought Katherine _**so **_much happiness, which was just as well I guess because turns out Katherine had compelled Caroline not to forget what had been said so Anna couldn't make her forget either. Finally, we managed to convince Caroline that I wasn't feeding off her but it came at a high price, now she was privy to the knowledge about vampires too. Oh and going to school and finding out that I told Mr. Keane, my biology teacher that Stefan had eaten my blood work report was a real hoot, another one of my favourite days from the past weeks of hell. Not to mention that the killings have been a constant since her return. It was blatantly obvious that she had to be stopped but our chances against Katherine were slim and with Damon at her side those slim chances dropped straight to nonexistent in 2 seconds flat. Damon was now officially a lost cause. He wasn't jumping off her bandwagon anytime soon let alone helping us kill her.

Out of everything I guess I should be happy for him. He finally has her back. And I would be, if I recognised the Damon sitting across the room from us in a booth dismissing Katherine's _**latest**_ minion. In fact he doesn't look happy, does he? To the naked eye he looks _happier_ than he was _before_, but he's happy in a menacing way if nothing else. God, he was suffering when he found out she wasn't inside that tomb. I couldn't really blame him. He spent 145 years dedicated to releasing her only to find out the bitch played them both. She was free the entire time but they weren't worth coming back for. I swear it was heartbreaking to see him those next weeks. It was so bad that even Bonnie felt bad for him! And then he snapped out off it in true Damon fashion. He looked to be on his 'A' game. I was proud of him in a way and whether or not Stefan wants to admit it I know he was happy when Damon seemed to get out his funk too. I don't know what I would've done if I were in his shoes. God, it's too painful to even consider being in his shoes. But what I definitely know is that I wouldn't have taken the bitch back when she graced me with her presence 145 years down the line to say 'hi' just weeks after I opened a damn tomb to save her to find out she wasn't trapped in there in the first place and simply hadn't given a rats tail about me or my brother for over a century after turning us into vampires.

If you think I sound bitter? **I am**. We all sort of are, Damon was always aloof but he was changing ever so slowly before she showed up and no one wanted him to end up with a cold hearted woman that toyed with him. He's a friend. At least he was a friend. Ever since Katherine's been back we're seeing more and more of the old Damon. I don't like what she did to Stefan and him 145 years ago and I sure as hell don't like what she's doing to him now without him realising it. In some way I'm disappointed in him for taking her back after everything she put them through and what she's doing to everyone right now. And if you think I'm bitter, we should probably bow down to Stefan!

I was never so proud of him then when he told that manipulative bitch where to stick it. I'll admit I was extremely worried when she came back. I know what she meant to them both, there was a time when my Stefan loved her enough to rival his brother. Seeing her again after such a long time must've been an emotional tailspin for him. But he truly does love me. He had a lot that he wanted to tell her when she showed up, understandably so, heck in his place I'd have some stuff I'd want to tell the bitch who strung my brother and I along, turned us in to vampires and left us to mourn her for 145 years! I was one hundred percent certain that she was going to choose Stefan before he told her off. Her behaviour towards me now seems like punishment for his choice, I'd probably be dead if I wasn't so amusing to her. Just the way she looked at him when he walked into the room that day, her expression was void of endearment probably because Damon was in the vicinity but her eyes spoke volumes when she looked at him, so different from when Damon had spoken to her. Her longing eyes however didn't last too long after Stefan called her a 'twisted, cold, manipulative bitch who deserved no love from him or Damon'. I have to say Bonnie, Alaric, Anna and I agreed wholeheartedly.

It's for those reasons that we're stuck at the Grille having no fun what so ever. It's kind of hard trying to have fun when Damon is sitting across the room from you alone leaving the threat of Katherine being out there doing god knows what to entertain herself hanging in the air. Despite feeling a bit happy that at least he has her back now we can't help but be a little pissed that under her influence he's back to his old menacing uncaring ways. Yes, the slightly humane Damon that had been at a snails-pace resurfacing has disappeared off the face of the earth leaving his evil twin in full bloom since Katherine's reappearance. As happy as we are that he's not lonely anymore, we can't help but wish it was with anyone but her.

I thought Isobel was bad? Wow, she's a walk in the park next to this vindictive piece of work. I really don't understand how either of them fell in love with her back then. She's manipulative, without conscious and pure unadulterated evil. I don't understand how Stefan could describe her in words any nicer than that back when we he had first explained to me about why he fell for his past 'girlfriend'. Could such kind words have really be used to describe her? My skin crawls every time she's around, every smirk, look, breath she takes, unnerves me. Usually I firmly believe that there is good in all people, forgiving is something I am capable of doing but with her… I didn't think it was possible but maybe she's switched off her humanity for so long that it just doesn't exist anymore.

She played games with everyone not just me even if they weren't aware of it. Giving Matt mixed signals about my feelings for him was one of her knew favourites. She convinced Damon that she meant to come back but didn't know if she could 'handle' seeing him again after knowing that they had both turned and he would've 'thought' that she 'didn't choose'. Bonnie and I could've bitch slapped the cow. Toying with them back then **was** her plan and it was wrong, she destroyed their relationship as brothers for her own personal amusement and what she was doing to Damon right now was horrid, she was saying exactly what he needed to hear to keep one of the Salvatore's in her clutches now that Stefan had broken free. Damon may not be lonely right now but he sure as hell doesn't deserve to be hurt by her again. God we'd take Isobel or Mrs. Lockwood- as disgusting as that sounds- over her any day. Basically… _**anyone**_!

"Hey Stefan's calling." Bonnie flicked some of my brown hair in my face to bring me out my musings. She had insisted on us going out today, something about today being magically charged. She _felt_ it, something big was going to happen, she just didn't know what. I personally was not going to argue with her. Her predictions had been right on the money so far and technically I owed her. It was a big step for her, accepting and making an effort to be civil with Stefan and Damon after her gran died. She wanted a night out she was going to get one.

"Right, sorry." Taking the cue from Anna I leaned over the table lined up my shot and missed the pocket blindly. Safe to say it's hard concentrating when there's a constant untamed death threat looming in your town.

"It's okay we're all having a pretty bad game." Stefan pulled me into his chest and kissed my head, massaging my shoulders slowly as I buried myself into his neck relishing the feeling of calm that washed over me with his touch.

"Speak for yourself. Watch the Master little ones." Jeremy piped in mischievously grabbing his cue and heading towards the table.

"Jer, I'm pretty sure all present are older than you." Bonnie pointed out causing Anna to bite back a snicker. Grinning he sank his first shot and miscued on the second.

"Okay _Master_, my turn." Stefan quipped, taking the cue from Jeremy who lightly punched him.

I watched their interaction with a smile before getting distracted. Just over Stefan's shoulder I noticed the door to the Grille open. Two completely drenched girls who looked to be my age walked in shutting the door against the storm once again. One girl was dark haired and the other was blonde, even as a girl I could admit that they were extremely pretty. Maybe it's attributed to my weariness of newcomers ever since all this supernatural stuff _**but**_ I couldn't help but follow their movements and beside me Bonnie seemed to be in much the same shoes, staring at the blonde almost like she was having a vision.

The dark haired girl had almost black eyes and the green colour of her jacket coupled with her olive skin made them pop under her elegant brow. Her ebony hair was pulled into a loose pony except the bits she'd left open that were now plastered to her forehead as a result of the rain storm outside, but still she had a sweet smile and looked to be pretty pleasant. She said something as they walked in and the blonde threw back her head laughing.

The blonde was leaner without being too thin. She sort of had an entrancing characteristic about her, an almost enigmatic aura surrounding her... Her features made her look angelic. She was pale with beautiful flowing light blonde hair that was now wet and hanging in loose waves framing her face to her elbows, her eyes were a striking shade of deep blue and her smile was attractive too,. She was wearing a black leather jacket with a checked purple scarf around her neck. Both she and the dark haired girl were wearing light blue skinnies but I couldn't make out their height given the platform on which the pool tables are situated are slightly higher than the rest of the Grille.

I spun away as they turned in our direction probably heading for the bar. Shaking off the feeling that something important was happening I twisted back to the pool table but not before noticing that both girls, below us heading in our general direction, were barefooted. Stopping myself from impolitely staring at them in confusion I focused on Stefan who was positioned directly opposite the table from me but facing me. He looked up briefly smiling, he winked and I returned the smile with a happy feeling in my pit. He looked back to the table drawing back his cue and aiming for black. I smiled in anticipation, the shot would be simple enough for him and then we could finally get home.

He pulled back enough and moved forward in a fluid motion but at the last second his hand went slack and he shot the white in the exact opposite direction of the black. I looked from the ball to him and back again in what could only be described as comical fashion.

"Dude what was that?" Jeremy asked shock blatantly obvious in his voice but Stefan wasn't paying attention. He was frozen to the spot still leaning forward, arms now almost limp on the table but no longer focusing on the game. He was simply staring straight ahead with a look of pure shock, confusion and utter disbelief.

"What the…?" he mouthed while straightening up but not once breaking his gaze almost like he were afraid that if he did whatever it was that he was looking at would disappear.

I craned my neck to see what had him glued to the spot. Scanning the crowd wasn't even necessary. Right there in his line of vision was the blonde girl. She had just reached the bar counter and was facing her friend completely oblivious to the stares she was receiving from Stefan… and Anna?...

"Stefan?" I asked moving towards him. The Grille was exceptionally loud tonight but with his vampire hearing I doubt he didn't hear me.

"That's not possible…" he thought out loud in shock, still not looking away. "How- … What- … God, that's-!" he shook his head slightly during his incoherent musings but never once broke his stare.

"Stefan what is it? You're losing me here." my confusion was spelled out clearly both on my face and in my voice but all was lost to him in his state. "Who is that?"

His gaze turned to me briefly. "_**That**_" he put emphasis on it by looking back to the blonde who was talking to Matt's manager over the bar counter. "That Elena would be the one girl in the world that is capable of knocking Katherine out of my brother's life!" he choked out, the words strangled and laced with disbelief but the conviction conveyed in his eyes was unmistakable.

"_**What**_?" Now it was my turn to stare in disbelief. My eyes shot to him to Damon across the room to her who was situated not more than 10 feet from Damon who was facing away from both us and the girl. _Could it be true? Who was this girl and could she really be able to dethrone Katherine in Damon's life? How was that even possible, Katherine had Damon wrapped around her finger for over a century? Could that girl really be the answer to our prayers? _I was hearing it but not believing it. It was too good to be true. And I apparently wasn't the only one who thought so, Stefan was still staring at her like he was afraid that he'd blink and she'd disappear. "What?" shaking my head in disbelief I tried again. "Stefan who is she? Are you serious?" hope was leaking into my voice as the seconds ticked by.

"She… _**She**_ left the _**gap**_ there in him… the one that let him fall into Katherine's web…" he took an unnecessary breath as the shock of who he was seeing finally hit him "…the gap he filled with Katherine Pierce. Damon's first love… _Katherine Grimaldi_…"

My eyes flew back to him. "_**HUH?**_"

**~~~***_**air hugs**_*** Make my day and review and I'll make your day and bring in Damon next chap ***_**air hugs**_***~~~**


	2. Dead Heart Beating

**AN- **Thank you so much for the beautiful response to this story! Your reviews were phenomenal. Shout outs to 'SecondCharmedOne' and 'Gorgina' for catching the hidden stuff which was that my OC's are described like the characters from the VD books. And two huge thank you's to 'BornToMakeYouHappy' for recommending this fic and to 'ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe' for adding it to her community *smiles*. There's also shout outs to 'Miss . Bonnie . Booth.' , 'vampirelover14', 'kari10', 'cranberrygrapejuice', 'MissKeriBaby85', 'miss-cute-7' and 'DamonLove18'. Thank you to all those who reviewed. This chapter is out thanks to my amazing VD BETA '**Dark . Priestress**', she put in a ridiculous amount of effort into making this chapter any semblance of good, she's freakin awesome *huge grins to her*.

**Disclaimer- **I own the plot and that's it.

**~ . ~ . ~ Chap 2: Dead Heart Beating ~. ~ . ~**

_~ If he loves you when you're dead and gone_

_Kiss, kiss a killer, kitty play along_

_But he's crawled inside your wounded soul_

_He's never ever gonna let you go ~_

"Hey there." The girl turned away from her friend drenched head to toe to face the guy at the bar, unknown to her the head of the raven haired vampire facing away from her shot up at her voice. He was rigid staring straight ahead wondering how the fuck he could possibly have heard her speak. "We broke down not… too… far- Oh who am I kidding? We broke down god knows where!" she placed her hand on the bar counter laughing nervously realising how ridiculous this must look, at her laugh the raven haired vampire broke his whiskey glass as shock wracked his body.

"You walked here from 'god-knows-where' with bare feet." the guy behind the counter asked amused nodding at her bare feet.

She laughed lightly "Yeah, I really love my feet and they'd divorce me if I walked through that in 6 inch heels." she nudged her head toward the door reminding the guy of the raging storm outside.

He laughed lightly his shoulders vibrating. "Right, I'll see about getting you a mechanic. The ladies' is right through there if you wanna dry off." he nodded behind her directing her towards the lavatories.

"Thank you! _**So**_, much. **Really**." She placed her palm on the counter and turned toward the bathroom.

Damon's emotions were running a mile a minute. He was flooded with different feelings, all of them overwhelming him. **He hadn't thought about **_**her**_**!**

Never allowed himself to! Not once! That was his rule, his way of surviving the pain 147 years ago! He'd buried _her_ deep inside him in the darkest corners where no light could reach them. He killed those emotions! He dedicated his life to another Katherine, Katherine Pierce had been his insurance of _her _and the emotions surrounding _her_ never resurfacing to the point that Katherine Pierce had become his everything! He kept her buried….

But now he heard it. _**Her voice**_. He still recognised it even though he hadn't thought about it for an eternity, he heard it bell clear through the riot of sounds his over sensitive vampire enhanced hearing could pick out in the overly packed Grill on this stormy night. Shaking his foundations as one feeling fought the other for dominance, ripping him at the seams. One feeling however raged right from the core of his being, furiously fighting to will it true, it was the feeling of hope.

At another time, Damon would have been able to control that feeling, squash it, he'd have enough arrogance to keep up his façade, he'd remain nonchalant but right now it was too shocking, too unexpected, _**too much**_! How could he be hearing her voice? Was it her? Did he want it to be her? How could it be?

'_**It's been 147 years, she's dead!**__'_ He thought and for the first time in his life did Damon feel immeasurable pain at the mention of death. In a hundred and forty seven years he had never once thought that she would have withered away with age. In a subconscious way he had never thought about her at all for that very reason. Despite what happened between them, he never wanted to acknowledge the fact that she was human and would've grown old without him and died. The sense of hope flared to life again, demanding his attention. _**'Of course I want it to be her! But if it is then she must be a vampire, too?'**_

He was still in his shocked state when he caught sight of her in his peripheral vision as she walked past, still oblivious to the vampire on emotional high to her right. A vampire with raging emotions was dangerous, everything you felt when human was infinitely amplified once you were turned, it was unbelievably overwhelming. And Damon had kept his emotions switched off for so long he wasn't sure what his brother was capable off right now. A vampire on an emotional high was _**very**_ dangerous, he didn't know how to control it or his actions and no one knew that better than Stefan and that's why he began walking fast towards Damon as he saw his brothers rigid form as he listened in on the conversation having heard her voice, he'd seen Damon's inner turmoil clearly displayed on his face as he tried to come to terms with all these foreign emotions. As he saw her walk in Damon's direction he practically broke into a full blown human sprint.

Damon was frozen to the spot, staring straight ahead at the motionless, dreary wall. She walked his way and he smelled her. Her scent tugged torturously at his dormant heart. In his peripheral vision he saw her. The world moved in slow motion. Only she and he existed in his deranged state right now. A long blonde river of hair flowing down her petite back was what flashed through his mind instead of the drenched locks of hair that he was in reality looking at. He pictured clearly how it looked the first day he saw her.

_*** * * Flashback:**_

"_Stefan it's hardly important for me to be there. Father will be much more at ease if I failed to attend, little brother." Damon told his brother as they strolled through the market area on the sunny afternoon prior to the big ball._

"_Father will be most disconcerted if you were to stay at home." Stefan reasoned._

_Laughing, Damon grabbed an apple from a close trolley and turned to face Stefan. "Out of love for my company no doubt, little brother?" _

_Catching Damon's meaning Stefan chose to change tactics. It was no secret that there was no love loss between his father and brother. "Think of mother and aunt Luisa, their special friend will be in attendance. Surely they will be eager to introduce us."_

"_Yes! The friend from Italy. I had quite forgotten about that." Shining the apple on his coat as they turned the deserted corner, Damon spoke. "Very well then I will attend. But __**only**__ for them."_

"_Of course- " Stefan's reply was halted as a young maiden ran straight into Damon. _

_Instinctively Damon's hands reached to her arms to steady them. He peered down at the girl, she appeared to be from a family of good ranking, dressed in a lavender coloured gown with and intricate white embroidered lace bodice. She had rich deep blue eyes, the colour of oceans and __lapis lazuli. She was petite and beautiful but the one thing that truly struck him was her hair. It was a soft pale gold, like honeyed blonde it flowed in gentle ripples down her back framing her face. It wasn't styled into elaborate locks like the usual hairstyle adopted by the women from high ranking families in society. Her hair was natural, in beautiful loose waves cascading freely. He could feel the softness of it in the lock of hair that was trapped where his palm connected with the warm bare porcelain skin of her arm. Another shocking feature was that despite her distraught look and the scruffy dirt that marred her face, hiding most of her features from his view she was by far the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid his eyes on._

"_I beg your pardon, Sir." Her voice was simply beautiful. Bell-like. "I was being chased by a rather __frightening man." She made an effort to back away from him but he held her far too firmly for her to move, his eyes intense and piercing as he gazed down at her._

"_Is he still pursuing you, Miss?" his voice was firm and penetrating locking her into place. He was completely taken a back by the odd unfamiliar sense of protectiveness he felt over this girl, a perfect stranger to him._

"_Oh no, no. I think I lost him when I jumped over the wooden gate of the nearby stable." She blushed furiously at her confession, her eyes momentarily grew large before she lowered her gaze to the floor nervously._

_Damon was rather amused at her obvious embarrassment. It was unheard of for a woman being able to do such a thing. It was frowned upon by society for any female to indulge in such unladylike activities but he was nothing but impressed as he took her in. She had not only scaled a gate but she had done it in a gown, without ripping it no less. Damon was a known rebel and he'd never met a girl quite like her in all his 21 years. "A near by stable?"_

"_Well, now that I think about it, it was not very near at all. However it is the first stable one sees when one follows this path out the market area."_

_Damon nodded knowingly with a hard expression on his face._

"_Miss, did you manage to see the face of your attacker?" Stefan questioned, opening his mouth for the first time since the exchange between Damon and the young lady had begun. Stefan's voice snapping Damon out his musings and causing him to finally release his grip on her._

"_Yes Sir, I did. He was a rather burly man." Both brothers looked at her as she retold them what had transpired. _

"_I do beg your pardon Miss. I am Damon and this is my younger brother Stefan." Damon suavely introduced them and Stefan nodded gentlemanly at his name._

"_Pleased to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances. My name is Katherine." She gracefully curtsied before them. The wind picked up slightly as she rose, gently blowing her beautiful hair back. Damon nodded and did something that he rarely ever had reason to do recently, he smiled at the angelic looking girl before him and actually meant it._

_*** * * End Flashback.**_

He lost control. All sense of rationality left him and he flew from his seat and advanced on her, grabbing tightly on her arm and spinning her to face him.

She squealed in surprise and stared at him somewhat shocked and awestruck as she slammed into his chest and stumbled back from the impact not making it very far with his hand keeping her firmly in his grip.

There she was. His eyes burned as he looked at her. Every suppressed emotion for the last 147 years hitting him 10 folds, all at once. He was petrified by it but relished in it all at the same time. He was seeing her. Right there before him. Katherine Grimaldi. Very much alive! Too alive! He realised suddenly and frowned fractionally as he tuned out everything surrounding them, confusion marred his expression stared with intense ice blue orbs. _That's not possible!_ His mind screamed but he definitely heard it. The erratic, loud thrumming of her heart.

"Kathy?" he spoke below a whisper inaudible to her. Staring at her. How could it be? She was right here before him but he could hear her heart hammering loudly behind her ribcage. He towered over her with an unreadable expression as he tried to make sense of what he was happening.

"Er, hi? Can I help you?" she gazed up at him confused, slightly taken aback and awestruck at the guy who was holding onto her for no apparent reason.

_**WHAT! **_His eyes grew large and darkened spelling danger and confusion, masking his internal hurt totally. _**She didn't recognize him? Is she a doppelganger of Katherine's? How could it- "**_

"Damon." Stefan intervened and his vampire hearing picked up the low feral growl that Damon let out upon his intrusion, however he never relinquished his hold on her. "Hi, there I'm sorry about my brother it's just that- "

"_**I'm**_ a mechanic." Damon inserted quickly with an innocent look, his lips arching into his signature crooked smirk but imploring her with his eyes, something within himself not allowing him to compel her. Stefan shot him a look clearly not expecting that and not liking where he was heading with this. At any other time being able to irk Stefan would've been enjoyable but right now he just wanted him to fuck the hell off. Damon fixed Stefan with the most threatening glare, daring him to say anything to the contrary before looking back to the girl in front of him with the most intense gaze ever imaginable, a look so strong that Stefan heard Bonnie, Caroline and Elena sucked in a breath having caught it all the way across the room from where they spied.

Catching the slip in Damon's wording Stefan realized what Damon was leaning toward and intervened. _This girl had a pulse, she couldn't be Katherine could she?_ He'd been in Damon's position once, when he first saw Elena. He ruefully thought that fate truly did hate them. Not only had it allowed for them to turn into life sucking killers, destroyed their brotherhood, let them fall in love with a heartless vampire, and sent them a doppelganger of her to tease at their heart, it was torturing Damon in the same cruel way as it did him at the beginning of the year, a sick joke, sending the other brother a doppelganger, this time to Damon. He knew what it felt like. His brothers feeling for the girl were probably overflowing right now. Who knew what would happen if he left Damon alone with her. He wasn't fully in control of himself right now. Turning to the girl he smiled, pointedly ignoring Damon beside him. "Yes, we both are mechanics."

Damon momentarily thought of snapping Stefan's neck. Not having much choice he smiled at her arching his brow wondering why he didn't just compel her to leave with him. "Yes, that we are." There was no way he was letting his brother get in his way but he needed answers and Stefan had made it impossible for him to exclude him while getting them.

"Wow, helpful town." She smiled somewhat sceptically before shaking it off. "Great, um, I'm not exactly sure where exactly we're stuck but I know how to get back there."

As she spoke for the first time in 147 years Damon remembered what it felt like to ache.

"Katrina?"

His head snapped up at the girl standing slightly behind them. He released the girl in his arms and watched curiously as she responded to the name.

"Hey Terri, found us some mechanics. Actually... they found me." She chuckled and frowned trying to word it right.

Damon was momentarily paralyzed as he watched. Stefan however caught himself and spoke up trying not to raise suspicion. "My brother here, overheard your predicament." He shrugged his shoulders for effect and noted that they seemed to buy it.

"Lucky us." Terri smiled but still held back.

"I can show you where the car is but can we just dry up a bit first?"

"Sure. We'll still be here." Stefan pointed to the table that Damon previously sat at and smiled at the girls who turned to leave. Damon stood frozen staring after her for a while longer before Stefan's hand on his shoulder shook him out of it. "Come on. She'll be back." Damon was still not in control of his feelings, the only emotion that worked it's way to the surface however was confusion. He walked toward the table and seated himself across from Stefan but remained lost in his inner musings. "Damon it can't be her…"

His eye's flashed lethally and darted up to meet Stefan's empathetic gaze. "What?"

"It's not her Damon… It can't be… We both heard her pulse. I wish it were her as well Damon but it just can't be. She's identical to her I'll admit that but she's a dop-"

"**Don't say doppelganger Stefan!**" Damon's voice was lethal. "**She is **_**not**_** her look-alike, she's **_**not**_** her doppelganger! I don't know how it's possible either, but that **_**is**_** my Katherine!"** he hissed.

Stefan caught the claim in his words but said nothing. Part of him hurt for his brother and wanted to reason with him but another part stifled that feeling. It thrived on the fact that Damon claimed this girl to be his instead of the vampire Katherine who destroyed all semblance of his brother.

For the sake of the girl however Stefan tried again. "Damon she'd be well over a hundred and sixty three years old."

"When you first saw Elena, you were confused. You heard her heartbeat and knew it wasn't Katherine Pierce." Damon shook his head rejecting Stefan's words. "But right now when I touched her, I felt my Katherine! Katherine Grimaldi. I _know_ Katherine! That's my Kathy! The second I heard her voice she consumed me. The moment I touched her and I knew her immediately! I recognised everything about her! **She. Is. My. Kathy!**"

Stefan knew better than to argue this with him. "Well looks like we'll find out soon enough." He and Damon relaxed their stance and began speaking midway through a conversation about football.

"Sorry about that." The girl said as she approached the table.

"Totally." The girl that was with her, Terri said. "We just had to dry off a bit.

"Not a problem at all." Damon piped. "Can I get you two something to drink?"

"No thanks, we have to be getting back. Two of our friends are still in the car waiting." Terri said and Damon hid his look of annoyance.

"Of course. Let's get to it then." Damon stood grabbing his keys off the table. "My name's Damon by the way and that's my little brother Stefan." Damon introduced earning him an eye roll from Stefan at the little brother quip.

With a breath taking smile the girl stuck out her hand and shook Damon's. The electricity was back at the contact "Katrina." She said and Damon's gaze intensified at her name and she looked at him unsurely before continuing. "And this is my friend Teresa."

"Please call me Terri." the girl said with a smile as Damon took her hand next to keep up his façade.

Thankfully, the storm had let up as they walked out. Stefan walked slightly behind them sending Elena a look to say he'd explain later before he disappeared through the doors. Once outside his gaze stayed fixed on Damon who was staring at Katrina with deep concentration.

She had a different name but it was still far too similar to Katherine's and the feelings that she evoked in him with her touch was simply impossible to ignore. This was his Katherine, Damon knew it. "It's the car over here." He walked ahead of the girls towards his black Ferrari unlocking the doors with the remote. He smirked when he heard their footsteps falter.

"Holy!" Terri exclaimed. "That's a-"

"… 2005 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti! No way!" Katrina spoke animatedly causing Damon to smirk as he opened the driver's side door and pulled aside the seat for her to get in. Only then did he realize she knew the year of the car.

"I was gonna say, awesome car, but yeah that too!" Terri laughed as she ran her hand along the body not caring at all that the car was wet.

"You know about cars?" Damon asked somewhat impressed as Katrina walked towards the door he held open.

"Not details, but I can definitely recognise a car like this. You're really a mechanic?" Katrina's excited gaze never broke away from the car.

"As a sideline." Stefan answered opening the door for Terri to jump in.

"Her brothers own a garage back home." Terri explained as she hopped in and Stefan took his seat on the front passenger's side.

"Where to ladies?" Damon threw the full force of his charm into his smirk as he stared at Katrina through the review mirror.

"Straight down the street, then make a right at a bookshop. I can't remember the name but I'll know it when I see it." She directed slightly blushing under his gaze.

"I know the one." Damon said as he backed out the parking space, burning rubber as he took off in the direction of Mystic Fall's Antique Book Merchandiser, the only book shop on this side of town.

_**~.~.~**_

Damon pulled up next to the cherry red 1970 Chevelle SS in record time and let out a low whistle. "Nice ride. Didn't expect to see this." he said as he stepped aside and let Katrina out.

"What, you mean for a 17 year old _girl_?" she laughed as Damon and Stefan eyed the car. "Was a heap of junk when my eldest brother first bought it. They had to rebuild most of it. Turned out pretty awesome, didn't it?"

"I'll say." Stefan smiled genuinely as Damon popped the hood.

"Took you long enough we were about to come looking for you." Damon, who had been very aware of the two heartbeats inside the car, heard a female say as she opened the passenger door. The hood however blocked the new arrivals from his view and by the time Stefan had walked over to the driver's side and got in, the girls had already jumped out the car not allowing him a look either.

"We had to walk for ages before we found a place that was open." Katrina replied. "Thank god we found a mechanic."

"Start her up Stefan." Damon called to Stefan and the engine roared to life.

"Wow that was quick. How much do I owe you?" Katrina asked grabbing her bag and rummaging for her purse.

"No charge." Damon smiled ensnaring her as he let the hood drop. A loud bang echoed through the night as Stefan simultaneously shut the car door having stepped out the car. The noise seemed fitting, like a warning for what they were about to see. Beside Katrina was a petite, curly red haired girl with deep brown eyes and beside her was a catlike looking blonde with short hair and bright green eyes. Both brothers stood frozen trying their hardest to appear normal given they were staring at the ghosts of their past.

"No please I insist." Katrina said pulling out her purse.

"No charge for newcomers to the town." Stefan spoke on autopilot his mind in two places at once.

"That's really sweet of you, thanks a lot." Katrina smiled tucking her hair behind her ear. "Hey girls this is Damon and Stefan. Damon, Stefan, this is my not so identical twin sister Carly and my best friend Ivy Travolta." She pointed out the blonde and redhead respectively.

_*** * * Flashback:**_

"_Miss Katherine, I do insist you accompany us back to our home. It is not too far from here. It would be most terrible of us to leave you be in your current state. At the very least one of the maids can clean out your gown for you before you make your way." Damon implored her._

"_Oh no. It is very kind of you to offer but I couldn't possibly burden-" she made to decline but Stefan cut her off._

"_It is no burden at all we assure you. Our mother would be extremely disconcerted if she knew we had not assisted a lady." _

"_Very well then. Thank you very, __**very**__ much Sirs." Katherine curtsied once again._

"_Please call me Damon." He interjected with a smile and slight bow of his head. "Shall we?" he held out his arm for her and she took it after hesitating for merely a second._

_They walked the way to the house before stopping at the gates. The girl looked troubled realising they had stopped at the first house they had come across whilst walking away from the market._

_Unconsciously she gripped Damon's arm a bit tighter and something tugged at his heart. "This house belongs to us Miss Katherine." He informed her trying to settle her nerves. "Rosetta could you please tell Derrick that Master Damon requests his presence at once. And Harriett, please attend to our guest." Damon spoke to the maids who let them into the mansion. _

_Harriet moved quickly towards Katherine. "How do you do Miss? Please come this way." She lead Katherine up the stairs to a room where she could freshen up whilst Rosetta scurried away to get Derrick the blacksmith that attended to their horses._

_Damon waited impatiently for the burly dirty man to appear, losing some of his control at the sight of him Damon brought his fist hard into contact with him dropping him to the floor. "I want him locked up never to see the light of day!" He ordered the officers who Stefan had called for and they nodded before dragging the culprit away. _

"_What's going on?" a timid voice asked._

_Damon and Stefan both directed their attention to the doorway. Reigning in their harsh facial expressions they smiled warmly at the petite red haired 16 year old girl, Evelyn Travolta. They stepped forward to greet her but stopped as she gasped and looked at the stairs diverting their attention. "I thought you were going to the market place?" she questioned._

_Damon followed her gaze, to a beautiful freshened up Katherine who had just re-emerged from the upper floor, wondering how they knew each other. His breath hiked as Katherine smiled slightly catching his gaze. "I did but I ran into some trouble along the way." She said worry marring her expression as she replied to Evelyn._

"_Oh my god, Katherine! Are you alright? Mother is going to kill me!" Evelyn exclaimed bringing her hand worriedly to her forehead and ran up the stairs to stand by Katherine._

"_Oh don't worry about it Ivy, I'm perfectly alright I promise you. These gentlemen assisted me and have been very kind ever since." She smiled and gestured to Damon and Stefan before turning back to Evelyn. "Did you manage to find Carlotta?" _

"_She most definitely did sister." A young girl aged about twelve, with darker blonde hair, a catlike face and lovely green eyes stepped through the doorway and into view. "Are you certain that you are alright?" she questioned worry evident in her voice._

"_I most certainly am thanks to these two very courteous gentlemen." Katherine smiled and Damon and Stefan bowed their heads slightly in acknowledgment of the little girl. _

_Evelyn beamed placing her hand on Katherine's and bringing her down the remaining steps to face Damon and Stefan. "This is my best friend from Italy, Katherine and her younger sister Carlotta, the daughters of Amelia Grimaldi, the best friend of our mothers'." Evelyn wasted no time in continuing. "And Katherine, these are the two endearingly inseparable brothers I spoke of. My cousin's Damon and Stefan Salvatore, my Aunt Gabriella's sons…"_

_*** * * End Flashback.**_

Damon and Stefan stared shocked at three girls from their past standing before them very much alive.

"_**Now**_, what are the chances of it not being her rabbit-boy?" Damon asked rhetorically, low enough that only Stefan could pick it up with his vampire hearing. "Either we're fate's favourite two vampires and its fucking gone doppelganger crazy or that's my girl from 1863 standing next to our cousin and my girl's little sister whose been upgraded to twin."

"I'm at least paying for the gas for driving us here in the middle of the night." Katrina's voice partially snapped Damon out of it. She pulled out some bills and put it into his shirt pocket not wanting to give him a chance to refuse. If it were possible Damon's heart would've been pounding right now.

"Who should I make the receipt out to?" Damon asked looking at her intently grabbing a scrap of paper out his pocket as a makeshift receipt.

"Katerina Grimaldi." she smiled beautifully to him and turned to stuff her bag back into the car.

He smirked at the last name and his gaze darted quickly to a perplexed Stefan as if to say: 'I told you so'. "_Right_, and you're staying where?"

"A house on Forest Drive, number 17." Her brows furrowed together and she pulled her lip between her teeth as she thought hard about the exact address.

"I know it." Damon smiled wickedly burning the address into his memory.

"Really? Do you mind directing us there." Carly piped in quickly.

"Actually we were headed in that direction." Damon's smile grew. "_Weren't _we Stefan?" he asked without sparing a glance at his brother.

"Uh… Yes." not having much choice, Stefan agreed. Curiosity controlled his agreeability. Part of him knew that these were the same girls from 1863 but what he didn't know was how it was possible. "We'll lead the way."

"That would be great thanks! Are you sure you don't mind?" Katrina let out a relieved breath.

"Oh trust me I don't mind at all." He said in a sincere voice before dropping his gaze to her and continuing. "It would be my pleasure, to take you to places… any where you want to go." his voice was a hundred different shades of suggestive and he smirked at her as a familiar blush worked its way to her cheeks. She did a double take wondering if she heard right, and stammered something unintelligible under her breath not realizing that she was staring at a vampire with extraordinary hearing before walking towards her car.

Damon's smirk grew at the 'Holy shit' she cussed before she walked away.

"Told you so Stef." He quipped over his shoulder as he walked towards his car.

He wanted her. She was his. He just had to make her fall in love with him again. And no one was stopping him. She belonged to him. He wasn't letting her go this time. _**No way in hell, he was letting her go this time**_.

_**~.~.~ Continue? Review and let me know ~.~.~**_

_**End note- As most of you realized by know, Katrina is Katherine Grimaldi. She just doesn't remember jack about Damon or the 1800's which is the same case with her twin 17 year old Carly (who was 12 year old Carlotta in 1863) and Ivy (who was Damon's cousin Evelyn in 1863 nicknamed Ivy). You'll find out why they can't remember soon. Their pics are up on my profile under the story name. I don't own them I just imagined that they'd look like this. Much love.**_


	3. Living Dead Girl

_AN_ - Hey everyone I hope this break hasn't affected your take on this fic… I'm easing back into things and I've made this chapter much longer as a thank you for your patience with me. I can't guarantee that I'll be updating often but I can promise that as long as you're interested in this fic I'll keep writing it. ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe, mixmatched9, labyrinthloverxx and vampirelover14 thank you so much for the condolences you passed in your messages and to all those who inboxed me as well, it meant a lot to me. Shout outs to MissKeriBaby85, SecondCharmedOne, I Am Beautiful Dead, vampirelover14, ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe, 0-Jackie-0, wizziewoo123, mixmatched9, GreekLia, FallIntoAHellCalledLove, labyrinthloverxx and Ravenclaw Slytherin.

This chap is for all of you and especially wizziewoo123 for her awesome love for this fic, it's very encouraging and theisis70.

This chap was BETA'd by clumsy20, mega thank you's and love to her she's amazing:) Also love and best wishes to Dark . Priestress at this time… The picture of Katherine Grimaldi's dress is on my profile under this chapter as well as pics of their mothers and rings etc *yay*.

If you get onto my profile you'll see my blog address, I've put up a banner for this fic up on my blog. The blog is simply about my fanfic stuff so if you want we can communicate there as well. I've got up a new Twilight fic called 'Dine and Dash' if anyone's interested and I've updated 'Sugar We're Going Down' as well.

_Disclaimer- _Don't own... Merely playing with ;-)

~ . ~ . ~ **Chap 3: Living Dead Girl** ~. ~ . ~

_~ Somebody's in my head again_

_Somebody mixed my medicine_

_I'll drink what you leak_

_I'll smoke what you sigh_

_Straight across the room with a look in your eye ~_

Damon stood outside her window watching her silhouette play on the curtains as she changed. He'd had just moments before bid her a goodnight and watched her enter the quaint establishment that he and, much to his dismay, Stefan, had directed them too. The girls had been extremely grateful for the help and thanked them profusely before going inside and shutting the door. But the only person Damon could concentrate on was Katrina. It took unknown amounts of restraint to stop himself from compelling her not to leave.

He didn't know what was going on, with both himself and the fact that he had just run into three girls from his past that were _very_ much alive. Beside him Stefan was silent, lost in his own musings. The situation had both brothers baffled and though unacknowledged by either of them they were highly hopeful.

Stefan looked to the sky. It was by far the darkest night he could remember. The sky was almost pitch black, a dark raven colour that stretched to eternity. _How was it possible that three girls that looked identical to Katherine, Evelyn and Carlotta were here with beating hearts? They had almost identical names, similar personalities and Damon was so sure that Katrina was in fact Katherine. But they were human? It simply wasn't possible. But still even he couldn't completely rule it out. It was too much of a coincidence. Even if they were doppelgangers, what were the chances of the three of them being together at one place? What were the chances that they'd run into Damon and him? Deep down even he had a strong feeling that Damon was right. _He couldn't help but wonder. _What could all of this possibly mean?_ Shaking his head he let out a deep breath and turned towards his brother. Damon dressed head to toe in black was watching her window intently, he almost blended in with the dark night, only the light radiating of the full moon that was directly above him illuminating him created a halo effect on his raven hair. Stefan faltered at the sight. The sky was heavily laden with black storm clouds, not a star in sight and yet the white moon was clearly visible directly above Damon in an almost symbolic poetic manner.

Damon smirked as he came to terms with what was happening. He had really seen them together just like in his human life. Katherine and Carlotta were still sisters and Evelyn was still Kathy's best friend. There was officially no doubt what so ever in his mind that they were the same girls from over a century ago and unlike Stefan he didn't really give a fuck how it was possible, all that mattered to him was that Katrina was Katherine. And his devious mind had already begun formulating a diabolic plan to keep her.

"Oh my god, talk about a dish! Those guys were gorgeous!"

Damon's smirk grew as Carly walked into the room and gushed to her sister. Katrina's bell like laugh caught his attention and he despite himself he smiled up fondly at the window, immeasurably happy that by some fluke of fate he had her back even if she didn't seem to know it yet.

Both he and Stefan raced at vampire speed to the forest as Carly's footsteps headed towards the window. Cloaking themselves in the darkness of the trees they watched as she clutched onto the drapes as she drew the curtains and looked out into the night, her eyes taking in the dark and wetness of the area before she sighed heavily. Still holding onto the curtain the moonlight danced off a ring on her index finger. The silver fluted band of the vintage ring was adorned with a single dainty crystal quartz.

"Amazing how the rain just stopped!" Entering the room Terri jeered the weather. "Just our luck! Of course it couldn't let up while we were out actually walking through the storm!"

"Quit complaining its over. We're here aren't we?" Ivy tossed at her as she walked into the room.

"Easy for you to say. _We_ actually _walked_ through it, _barefoot_ I might add." Terri pointed out in a huff as she walked toward the window to join an amused Carly. "Some best friend!" she laughed and pulled her friend away from the window.

Damon frowned slightly as both he and Stefan briefly caught glimpse of a ring on Teresa's pinkie finger. A glowing oval shaped citrine stone sat at the heart of the ring with pearls creating a neat wall around it.

"Hey I'm a good friend. I had you in my prayers the entire time, Teresa." Carly retorted, batting her lashes in mock sincerity.

"Have I mentioned that I hate you?" Terri deadpanned narrowing her eyes at Carly.

"Nope but now would be an excellent time to let her know Terri." Ivy bumped Carly's hip with hers, sending both girls hurling out off her way, providing her with access to the window.

A thump followed as Carly and Teresa unceremoniously toppled to the ground shouting a loud series of profanities.

"Come on guys, behave." Katrina said lightly through a laugh.

Damon fixed his eyes to the window eagerly awaiting her appearance.

A small smile playing on her lips she leaned her arms on the sill and peered out into the bleak night. Damon took and unnecessary breath as he watched the moonlight dance off her fair skin. His eyes darkened as the banter in the room faded to the back of his mind. He stayed transfixed on her, watching her face break into a beautiful smile and her eyes close tightly as she laughed at something Ivy said. He watched her with blatant passionate dark possessiveness in his eyes.

"This is surreal." Stefan said in wonder shaking his head with large unbelieving eyes as he watched the window framing two girls who looked like Katherine and his cousin.

"What?" Damon snapped looking somewhat annoyed at his brother for disturbing him.

"They look identical to them." Stefan replied.

"It _is _them." Damon barked with finality, his patience with his brother on this particular topic wearing dangerously thin.

Stefan remained silent. He had no argument. Even he knew it was them. As unbelievable and mind-boggling as it was, he _knew_ it had to be them. A flickering caught his attention and he took note of a sparkling rose quartz ring on Ivy's left hand as well. "Look." He said without thinking.

"What's with the rings?" Damon muttered zeroing in on the ring adorning Ivy's middle finger.

"Not sure…" Stefan replied dumbly.

"I wasn't actually asking you rabbit-boy. I was thinking aloud." Rolling his eyes Damon dismissed Stefan and focused his attention on the window housing his girl and cousin once again.

As per usual Stefan turned a deaf ear to his brother's distaste toward him and instead continued speaking. "Kathy doesn't have one."

Damon was about to point out that her left hand was blocked from their view by the drapes when Stefan spoke again.

"Her wrist." Stefan spoke up with a steady voice redirecting Damon's attention.

Damon watched as Katrina bunched her hair, pulling it back into a neat ponytail allowing him perfect view of the smooth cream of her long neck. He watched as her pulse danced rhythmically under her translucent skin, the movement mesmerizing him. His fangs elongated painfully, torturously as both her blood and body called to him simultaneously. Emotions swirled in him haphazardly, black veins snaked its way around his eyes and he shut them for a second trying to regain control of himself for the first time in over a century. Taking a calming breath Damon opened his eyes, the usual ice blue cutting through the night seeming more of a predator than the vampiric ones. He looked toward the window again. His eyes grew a large and barely above a whisper, he managed to exclaim in absolute disbelief. "She's a witch!"

So engrossed on the contours of her neck and the strong pulse of precious potent life blood of his mate had he been, that he missed the ink contrasting deeply with the white flawless skin of her wrist. There on her right wrist was an intricate tattoo, a weaved circle with a perfectly symmetrical star within it and a dark bird perched with dominating pride toward the top left of the design.

She stood leaning out the window, her elbows braced lightly against the cold sill of the window. A far away look in her eye as she gazed toward the nothingness of the night. "A lot of blood has spilt in this town." Katrina's bell voice pulled Damon out his initial shock.

Damon's head snapped up, his poise a strange mixture of fearful yet dangerous. Fearful that his reality would cause problems for him getting her back yet dangerous because there was no way in hell he was going to lose her this time round, regardless of what he had to do to keep her.

"A lot of blood? What are you talking about?" Ivy inquired slightly bemused as Carly and Teresa made their way to the window, both their stances somewhat anxious.

"Something about this town… It's not right." Katrina answered rubbing her arms with the full force of her palms trying to fight off a chill that Damon doubted was due to the cold night. "It's freaking me out. Bloods been spilt in this town. A lot of it…" she said with a slight tremor while Damon regarded her from the shadows with piercing flashing eyes.

_Don't worry Kathy nothing's going to hurt you. I'll keep away all the things that go bump in the night. _He thought darkly before adding with a cynical smirk_. Well everything besides me of course._

"We'll be leaving soon." Ivy said trying to calm her friends down and shake off her own wave of terror at the ominous words.

_Not if I can help it cousin dearest_. Still smirking Damon thought with absolute finality.

"Hey is it me or does your tattoo look different?" Carly drew everyone's attention to the inner side of Katrina's wrist.

"What do you mean?" Katrina asked perturbed as Damon watched intently from the forest.

"The Raven or Crow or whatever it is… It looks closer to the circle some how?.." Carly elaborated while scrutinizing her sister's wrist with a quizzical expression marring her features.

"What?" Katrina looked at her sister in disbelief.

"Hey, oh my god, it does! Doesn't it!" Teresa exclaimed animatedly.

Gazing down at her wrist Katrina's eyes grew to the size of saucers "It does…" she breathed out. Her eyes immediately sought out her best friend. Ivy looked equally shell shocked and shrugged her shoulders indicating she had no clue what was going on.

"A tattoo can't just move by itself?" Carly shook her head trying to use logic to push aside the fear.

"Yeah, well this one did." Teresa stated quietly. "What does it mean?"

Katrina looked away from her wrist to the window. Shaking her head she spoke with a quiver as she gazed at the cold still night of Mystic Falls. "I don't know but this town is creeping me out already. I can't wait for this school thing to be over so we can get back home."

Damon watched as she drew the curtains shut, with amused determined eyes and a smirk working its way onto his face "No love, the crow's closer to you than you know."

"Damon leave her be." Stefan warned.

Damon rolled his eyes while turning towards him. "Or what, little brother? You going to call on the _power_ of the 'squirrel' and bust my nuts?"

"Damon I'll admit there is a good chance it's her but she doesn't know who the hell _we_ are. We don't even know how this is possible? Don't do anything foolish." Stefan said exasperated.

"What are you, my grandfather? I must say Stef, you really are acting your _age_." Damon smirked before continuing coldly. "Mind your own business little brother. She's _my_ girl so rest easy Old-bones, I promise I won't do anything _foolish_." He cocked his brow and produced a lopsided smirk.

"I'm serious. Your emotions are ruling you right now, the blood lust could take over. She's _human_ Damon, one slip up and she could _die_." Stefan said the one thing he hoped would allow his brother to see the seriousness of the situation and it worked. Damon's eyes flashed dangerously.

Stefan grunted in pain as Damon pinned him against a thick tree trunk. Long venom coated fangs protruded Damon's scarlet mouth and black veins danced angrily as he faced off with his younger brother. Holding him by the scruff of his shirt Damon lowered his face so that he was eye to eye with Stefan before menacingly speaking in a low deliberate warning. "_Nothing_ is going to happen to her Stefan. Not. A. Damn. Thing. Now make yourself scarce so that nothing happens to _you_."

"Damon-" Stefan choked out as he grabbed futilely at his brothers arms, trying one last time to explain to him that until they knew all the facts it was safer for Katrina to be out of the supernatural's way.

"I'm here to worry about her. Now leave." Damon cut him off and roughly shoved him away, his face instantly returning to normal.

Stefan braced his palms on his knees as he tried to recover. Straightening up he turned to leave knowing for the most part that Damon meant the females in that house no harm and that he hadn't been invited in yet. "She doesn't seem to know about vampires. It's safer for her if we keep the supernatural away from her."

"I'll do my best Captain Bunny." Damon quipped with an exaggerated cheery smile.

"Damon-"

"**She's a **_**WITCH**_**!**" Damon snapped finally losing all patience. "**She **_**is**_** supernatural!**" He growled out, moving his hands haphazardly in the air to form air quotes as if he were explaining simple math problems to a disobedient 10 year old before rolling his eyes and continuing in mock townie cheeriness that all of Mystic Falls seemed to have. "I'm just doing my _little_ part as a good citizen of Mystic Falls and keeping the _**rest**_ of the supernatural world at bay from our guests." Damon said with condescending sweetness.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"Get to bed little brother. It's a school night. You're out past your curfew." Damon dismissed Stefan with an annoyed glare.

Stefan let out a deep breath and disappeared into the night. He'd talk to his brother when Damon had enough time for the shock to wear off. Right now he had to find Elena.

**~.~.~**

"Stefan." Elena breathed out as soon as he entered her bedroom window.

She, Bonnie and Caroline had been restlessly awaiting his arrival for over an hour. Going over different theories about what the hell could possibly be going on but nothing they thought off seemed to fit in any realm of logic. If what Stefan said about them knowing her when they were human was true then that meant that Katherine Grimaldi was a vampire, there was no other possible way to explain her incredibly long life span.

"What's going on? Is it her?" Elena asked bordering hysteria as all her questions fused into one. "She's a vampire? Bonnie tried to get a read on her but it wouldn't work and- "

"She's human." Stefan inserted and noticed that even though the three girls in the room appeared to have their interest peak at this information they seemed overwhelmingly deflated at the meaning.

"So it's not her then?" Caroline clarified.

"It's her." he stated simply.

"How can you know that?" Elena asked curiously as she tucked her hands into her jeans pockets.

Raising his eyes to meet theirs Stefan answered in an even tone. "She's a witch."

An audible gasp escaped Elena, and Caroline looked slightly taken aback by this information. _Couldn't say they'd been expecting that_.

"Witches aren't immortal." Bonnie stated after a moment.

"I know. That's what doesn't make sense to me." Stefan rubbed his neck lightly and shook his head.

"Wait. Then how can you be sure it's her?" Caroline inquired.

"Well the fact that she's currently in the company of her little sister from our human years, Carlotta, and my -should be dead- cousin Evelyn, played quite a vital role in convincing me." Silence ensued and Stefan popped his mouth at the thick exaggerated quiet of the room. "Yeah, I know the feeling…"

"There are three dead girls in Mystic Falls right now?" Caroline asked incredulously her jaw somewhat slack and eyes fairly large.

"No, there are 3 very _alive_ girls from Damon and my past in Mystic Falls right now." Stefan clarified. "They all have pulses. Very _steady_ pulses at that." He sighed recalling that none of their pulses showed any signs of recognition throughout the night and pushed back his hair as he faced the girls again. "They've got very similar names. They look identical to them. But they're alive." Stefan tried to explain what he'd come to discover. "The girl that resembles Carlotta, her name is Carly and she's Katrina's younger fraternal twin. My cousin, Evelyn, her nickname was Ivy and that's the name of the girl that looks like her. As for Katherine, her name is Katrina… Katrina _Grimaldi_." He put emphasis on the last part and paused for effect before continuing. "Evelyn and Katherine were best friends over a century ago… Ivy and Katrina are best friends right now. All of these things, they're just too big of a coincidence to be brushed aside."

"This is insane. Stefan, they'd have to be over a century old?" Elena frowned in disbelief. "Maybe they're doppelgangers?"

"From what I know, myself, Damon and a few other descendants were the last of our bloodline, we would've known if Evelyn had a child." Stefan clarified.

"So then it's them?" Caroline's question came out more like a statement, seeing as Evelyn had produced no children.

"Damon believes so." He stated simply.

"What do you believe?" Elena asked softly taking hold of his hand.

Looking up to meet her eyes, Stefan took an unnecessary breath and spoke with conviction. "It's them… It's definitely them…"

**~.~.~**

As soon as Stefan left Damon turned his attention back to the window to where he'd seen her last. All pretenses faded away now that he was alone. Leaning one arm against the cold bark off the tree he rested his head on the back of his palm and stood inhumanly still watching the window. Letting out a deep emotion filled breath as a foreign sense of gratitude washed over him… _She was here_… He didn't know how and quite frankly he didn't give a fuck. All that mattered was that she was here and he'd never lose her again.

_***** Flashback.**_

"_Damon, wait." _

_Dressed smartly in his suit for the ball that evening, Damon halted at the doorway of his family mansion at Gabriella Salvatore's voice. A fond smile tugged at his lips as he spotted the sweet woman. _

"_Mother." Damon greeted her with a chaste kiss to her cheek pulling back and staring into her blue orbs that looked like a mirror image his own piercing eyes. Her blondish brown hair that matched that of her younger sons, Stefan, was pinned up allowing her striking features to shine through with two spirals framing her face as she smiled warmly with pride at her favourite son._

"_Son I want to introduce you to my dear friend from Italy, Amelia Grimaldi. Amelia this is my darling son, Damon." _

_Damon turned his attention to the petite woman smiling brilliantly beside his mother. Her beauty matched the radiance of her daughter. Her hair was the same shade of vibrant blonde as Katherine's, her smile was just as warm, her eyes almost the same penetrating ocean blue, only her face held the same catlike features of her younger child, Carlotta. "How do you do mam?" Damon bowed his head in the form of a true upper class gentleman. _

"_It's very nice to meet you Damon. I've heard many wonderful things about you from your mother and aunt a like." Amelia's sweet voice matched her sincere smile, an air of purity seeming to surround her causing Damon's mind to immediately drift to thoughts of her older daughter and despite himself he felt a smile form on his lips._

"_Mother's too kind and __**biased **__I'm sure." He joked causing the two women before him to laugh in amusement._

"_I see my charming nephew has wasted no time in winning you over, Amelia." _

"_Aunt Luisa" Damon turned to greet his mothers dark haired, brown eyed, playful younger sister._

"_Damon, it's so wonderful to see you again child. You've grown in to a fine young man." She beamed as she embraced him._

"_You're too kind Aunt." He leaned forward slightly so that he could return the tiny woman's hug._

"_Oh nonsense sweet boy, if anything I am merely too honest." she smiled up at him swatting his chest. "I don't see Stefan?" she peered around looking for her younger nephew who rarely ever left his brothers company._

"_Stefan is engaged in what I imagine to be a very stimulating and enjoyable discussion about town politics with father and his associates." Damon said with sarcasm that only his mother and aunt could pick up. _

_Stifling her laughter behind her gloved palm, Luisa continued as if she had picked up nothing of Damon's snide remark. "Oh well, I'm sure they are very entertained." Damon smirked at his aunt's nicely veiled mutual distaste of his father. It was this mutual dislike that Damon suspected added to the profound fondness he felt toward his aunt and her daughter Evelyn, a kinship that he'd never experienced with his fathers side of the family. "However, in the mean while, Damon I would like you to meet someone." Luisa smiled widely and mischief danced in her eyes as she pulled forward a beautifully dressed Katherine in a black lace ball gown with a corset back and red paint work. "This is your cousin's best friend, Katherine Grimaldi, the daughter of my and your mothers' best friend Amelia." _

_Damon stared transfixed on Katherine's face. His intense gaze never wavering as his lean frame towered over her and drank every aspect of her in. She smiled nervously as a pink hue covered her cheeks. "Hello, again, Mr. Salvatore." She said in small pleasant voice._

"_Please, it's Damon." He smiled bowing lightly he repeated his earlier words. _

_Taking her hand in his, he placed a gentle kiss to the back of it, holding her gaze as he rose._

"_Again?" Gabriella inquired in confusion._

"_Yes, Mrs. Salvatore, we met them earlier today with Ivy. Sister ran into some trouble and your sons came to her aid." Damon was so engrossed in Katherine that when Carlotta began speaking he thought she'd materialized out of no where. _

"_Oh my- " Amelia exclaimed but was cut off quickly by Katherine._

"_It was nothing mother. No harm came to me. Damon and his brother were very kind and immediately took care of everything. I assure you I am fine." Katherine placed a dainty hand to her chest, imploring her mother not to worry._

"_Damon I can not thank you enough- " Amelia breathed out her gratitude as emotions washed over her._

"_Oh Amy, don't you go thanking him. It was his pleasure. Damon is quite an upstanding gentleman." Luisa took hold of her friend's hand and spoke for Damon._

"_That he certainly is." Gabriella beamed at her son._

"_I take it then that young Carlotta needs no introduction." Luisa affectionately touched her hand to the child's shoulder._

"_We're previously acquainted." Damon smiled at the young girl with profound charm. "Very nice to see you again Ms. Carlotta." he bowed his head graciously causing the little girl to blush and giggle much to the amusement of all present._

"_Now, Damon, don't tease." Gabriella chastised her son. "You'll find that Damon is quite the charmer sweetheart." She turned her attention to Carlotta and smiled playfully._

"_And saviour." Luisa piped in. "It's wonderful that you could assist her Damon. It's only natural that a beautiful 16 year old girl such as herself would need the aid of a fine young man in times of distress." If Damon didn't know any better he'd have thought she was trying her hand at matchmaking. _

"_Come now Luisa, leave the children be." Gabriella smiled kindly as she ushered her sister away to introduce Amelia to some of the other guests._

_Amelia lingered slightly behind. "Thank you once again Damon."_

"_It was my pleasure." Damon bowed his head lightly and smiled at the woman before him for more than one reason. The more prominent reason being this was the mother of the girl he seemed uncharacteristically taken with._

_As Amelia walked away Damon turned his full attention to Katherine who was looking around the room with intrigued eyes, drinking in everything she saw. "I trust you are enjoying the festivities?"_

"_Indeed I am, Damon. It's quite different from Italy really." Katherine flushed a bit under his gaze and opted to scan the room again, taking in the dancers, wine, food and chatter flowing across the room. Her eye's danced with amusement as a tipsy gentleman almost dropped his dance partner as he fumbled across the floor in his stupor._

_Damon laughed lightly noticing what she had witnessed. "You have sober dance partners then?" he quipped._

"_Yes, yes and how very boring it is to have sober partners. Dreary awful pass time when paired with a sober man, I assure you." she played along much to Damon's enjoyment._

"_Well now, milady I fear you are being unjust." Damon placed his untouched wine glass on the side table._

"_Unjust you say? How so, good sir?" Katherine challenged good naturedly._

"_You are wrongfully assuming that all us, good sober, men show our female company a poor time." Damon in a bold move grabbed her hand. With electricity between them he lowered his voice and briefly bowed, looking up at her as if every other person in the room had disappeared before rising again and keeping her fixed on his eyes. "Allow me to prove you wrong." Spinning her under his arm he brought her towards him and levelled with her breathless face. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards with uncharacteristic playfulness as he breathed out words that caused her to brilliantly flush under the intensity of his gaze. "Don't worry… I won't let you fall."_

_***** End Flashback**_

As a result of his reminiscing, Stefan words suddenly rang in Damon's head, '_She could die Damon_'. The harsh words caused him to snap out of it. Random thoughts drifted through his mind. _Katrina crossing the road and getting run over, her tripping down the stairs and snapping her neck, her catching a cold that escalates to bronchitis that ends up killing her in a hard cold hospital bed, __**her choking on a fucking chicken wing for all he fucking knew!**_

"Not if I can help it Stefan. Not if I can help it." He said aloud as the wheels in his head started to turn. "Sweet dreams love." He looked up to the window once more as he put his new diabolical plan into motion.

Katrina slept oblivious to the black crow perched on her sill keeping a close watch over her through the night.

**~.~.~**

Towards the wee hours of the morning Katrina woke restless. Her throat was parched, skin burning hot and eyes searching for something she felt was missing. Swinging her legs lazily over the bed she stood unsteadily trying to get some feeling into her feet before heading downstairs to get a drink of water. Cold nipped at her bare thighs and forearms as her short cotton pajamas did little in terms of warmth. The room was still overcast in a shadow only allowing minimal vision but Katrina navigated to the doorway. Grasping the cold brass door knob she swung open the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

Leaning statuette against the door frame awaiting her arrival, dressed head to toe in a black that surrounded him with an air of mystery, was Damon. Dark hair wild and sexy his ice blue eyes met hers and a breathtaking smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.

"Katrina." Damon's voice was low, enigmatic and shrouded with an undertone of huskiness.

Her brows furrowed and she regarded him with a mixture of curiousness and caution. "Damon what are you doing here?" she asked trying not to ogle at him.

"**You.**"

Katrina's jaw dropped and Damon grinned sexily stepping forward like a predator. " - _left_ your scarf in my car. Thought I'd return it." He added after his significant pause had earned him his desired reaction.

"What?" Still groggy with sleep she looked at him confused until he held up her scarf and stepped a bit closer.

Too shocked to move and still not fully awake, all she could do was stare at him as his presence overwhelmed her. He walked directly towards her in slow panther like steps. His feet glided with grace that no human should possess. His scent completely flooded her making her heady. Towering over her he cocked his head to the side like a predator possessively marking his prey and draped the scarf over her bare shoulder blades. Allowing his cool fingers to dance over the exposed flesh causing it to break into goose-bumps, she shivered as he looked up at her with hooded eyes. Only a thin piercing blue ring was left in his eye, the rest was almost completely black saturated with want. With barely a hairsbreadth between them he whispered allowing his breath to dance over her lips. "You cold love?"

She gasped in response staring at him with large doe eyes. It was incomprehensible to her why she wasn't moving away from this beautifully intimidating man that she had only met the night before but it was almost as if she had no control over herself in that moment. He was all consuming.

"Don't worry..." he smirked with his eyes and his lips turned up at the corners to form a delicious crooked grin. "I'm hot. Let me warm you up." And then his lips were on hers, hot and demanding. Every fibre in her body jumped to life, her body hummed with electrifying want and fire as a tidal wave of feelings coursed through her veins. Lust, the need to be closer to each other, the familiarity of him, his tongue claiming ownership of her mouth, the insatiable heat between her legs, his hardness that pressed into her abdomen, the way his hands roamed her body as if he knew it all too well, the brutal onslaught of his lips on hers as they stumbled backwards until her legs connected with the bed and they both fell onto it with his delicious body pressing her down into the soft mattress all while his domination refused to allow their lips to break away from each others.

With a gasp Katrina's eyes shot open! Her breathes were coming out in rasps and she had broken into a cold sweat. Sitting up straight on the bed she looked around the room. Morning sunlight poured through the window allowing her to see things much better. Getting her bearings she realized that she was still in bed, fully clothed and very flustered and confused.

"It was dream. I was a dream. It was a dream." She chanted out loud as she tried to push aside how vivid a dream it was and the odd fact that she could practically still feel the searing kiss tingling on her lips.

Running a hand on through her hair she loosened her ponytail allowing the loose curls to cascade down her back. Swinging her legs over the bed to stand up she ignored the feeling of déjà vu that washed over her and with a slight shake of her head she walked towards the bathroom. As she past her dresser she caught sight off her reflection causing her to halt mid-step and stare in disbelief. Colour filled her cheeks in a way that made her look completely out of breath, she practically glowed with pleasure but it was her lips that held her attention. Bright red and swollen she looked like she'd been through a passionate brutal make out session.

Slowly she lifted her fingers and tentatively touched them to her plump lips. The coldness let off by her finger tips seemed all too recognizable, like how Damon's lips had felt in her dream. Transfixed on the mirror as she touched her lips, her eyes darted quickly to the reflection of the window behind her where she saw crouched on the frame leaning slightly in, dressed dangerously beautiful exactly like he was in her dream with the exact same piercing blue eyes was Damon watching her possessively with a self satisfied smirk.

"**Holy hell!**"

She spun away from the mirror to the window, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Almost losing balance with the speed at which she performed the act she tried to get her footing. Her jaw had a fish movement when she stopped. Opening and shutting in a comical fashion as she stared at a black crow perched on the otherwise vacant window sill. She shook her head at the ludicrousness of her imagination. "The room's two stories high, for gods sakes!" She chastised herself. "It was only a dream." She began chanting again as she continued to the bathroom. "Only a dream. Only a dream. Only a dream. Only a dream you stupid, _stupid_ girl." She continued as she closed the door to the bathroom not seeing the bird cock its head to the side in a way that appeared to be _**very**_ amused.

**~.~.~**

"God I slept in heaven, I swear!" Carly said through a mouthful of toast. "That bed is awesome."

"Jesus, Carly I'm fully aware that as women we're known to multitask but talking and chewing at the same time is _not_ an art form." Katrina reached past her sister to open the refrigerator and grimaced at the contents. Promptly shutting the door she made a mental note to shop for groceries sometime today.

"Grouch, not my fault you didn't sleep well." Carly flipped her sister off with a playful grin.

"If only you knew." She mumbled under her breath remembering how she seemed to have a severe case of Damon on the brain. She grabbed some toast off Carly's plate while Terri and Ivy walked into the kitchen still clothed in their pj's.

"What was that?" Carly asked this time taking the time to swallow first.

"Nothing." she dismissed quickly. "Hey I'm heading out for a while, anyone want to come?"

"This early?" Terri asked incredulously looking at the clock that read 7 am. "We're not even up this early for school and technically this isn't even a school day for _us_ anyway. Thanks but no thanks I plan on sleeping in."

"Heading out where?" Ivy asked raising her brow considering they didn't know any places in town yet.

"Well, as Carly so mildly put it, I woke up grouchy so garbage isn't going to suffice as breakfast." Katrina tossed the burnt piece of toast back onto the plate, grabbing her keys and heading for the door not wanting to discuss her obvious restlessness with her very observant best friend.

Unlocking the car door she jumped in, started her baby up and took off to no where in particular. She drove aimlessly for what seemed like a very long period of time. Taking a calming breath she noticed a supermarket sign and decided now was as good a time as any to get started on that grocery shopping.

She jumped out the car slamming the door a bit too loudly. And taking a long deep breath she walked toward the supermarket. Running a hand through her hair she grabbed a shopping cart and made her way through the grocery aisle.

Grabbing random products proved to be an excellent pass time as it managed to take her mind off the eeriness of her dream, simply setting it as a normal dream about a really hot guy. That was it, she was sure. It was a dream that was merely a by-product off the fact that Damon was really attractive. Right? There was nothing strange about the dream she was merely reading way to much into it?

Deciding to get some coffee before she started over analyzing her morning all over again she got to the cashier and randomly asked about a good coffee place as he rang up her groceries.

"There's a coffee shop just around the corner Miss. Quaint little place and the coffee's pretty good." The young boy answered her with a friendly smile.

"Thanks a lot." She smiled in return and grabbed her now packed purchases.

"Need some help carrying that out?" The cashier asked her eagerly.

Smiling kindly she declined and thanked him once again when he told her to try out the coffee shops croissants.

Whipping out her cell she balanced her brown paper shopping bag with her left arm against her hip while walking toward the car and texting Ivy to say she'd gotten groceries for tonight.

"Now this is what I call multitasking." She said to herself as she popped the trunk open with her foot completely oblivious to the raven haired vampire watching her from a distance.

**~.~.~**

"What are you doing Damon?" Stefan asked. He'd spotted him as he and Elena were driving towards school and realized something was amiss.

"Ignoring you Stefan." Damon sing-songed condescendingly and watched as Katrina shut the trunk while she simultaneously manage to send her text through.

"You do know this qualifies as stalking?" Elena asked him with a raised brow.

"How terrible of me! I mean of all the low down, despicable, _inhumane_ things I could do." He said with biting sarcasm. "I'm a _vampire_ Elena, stalking's right up my alley." His voice grew firm but in true Damon fashion his smirk appeared nevertheless. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go do _other_ vampire things." He rubbed his palms together and wiggled his eyebrows as he turned fully away from them both.

"_Other_ vampire things?" Elena asked.

"What are you up to Damon? Whatever it is, don't do it. She could get hurt." confusion and worry laced Stefan's words.

Damon's jaw clenched with annoyance. "Don't worry Stef. I'm saving her life."

"From what?" Elena asked sarcastically. The thought of Damon ever doing something for someone else was still a foreign concept to her.

"Everything." Damon stated simply and disappeared.

Anticipating Damon's move, Stefan took off right after him. Running at a blinding speed even though slightly slower than him due to his diet, across the parking lot, around the building and to a small coffee shop at the side of the supermarket.

Stopping outside the shop he watched as Damon stood at a secluded spot in the shop, hidden from Katrina's view. She was seated at a small table waiting patiently for her order while eyeing her tattoo.

Stefan watched curiously as Damon stepped right into the path of a young waitress actively stopping her in her tracks. Leaning down low his pupil's dilated and he whispered something to her that Stefan couldn't quiet catch due to the noise in the area and having not fed in a while. A self satisfied smirk worked its way onto Damon's face and he allowed the newly compelled girl to walk to the back of the store.

"What's going on?" Elena asked as she finally managed to locate Stefan.

"I'm not sure yet." Stefan answered but refused to tear his eyes away from his sneaky brother out fear that he'd miss something important.

"Hey Katrina's in there." Elena frowned slightly when she spotted Damon. "Is she safe with him around?"

"Damon won't hurt her." Stefan said with conviction. His brows pulled together in a frown as he watched the waitress stop before Damon with her tray holding what he presumed was Katrina's order.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked catching his expression but not being able to see what was going on.

Stefan watched in shock as his brother brought his wrist to his lips. Slowly an incisor slit through his vein allowing crimson to flow out neatly from the weeping wound.

"Stefan?" Elena tried to get his attention but he just mutely watched as the compelled waitress made her way to Katrina's table. "**Stefan?**" Elena tried again.

The words fell on deaf ears as Stefan watched Katrina raise her coffee cup to her lips. The colour of the liquid far darker than it should be but still undetectable to human eyes.

"Stefan! What makes you so sure Damon won't hurt her?" Elena asked grasping Stefan's hands in her own and tugging so as to break him out his trance.

Finally Stefan looked at Elena, his expression far more broody than usual and uttered seven words that seemed to still the world around them. "_Because he just fed her his blood..._"

_**~.~.~ So wouldya think? Show some love and I promise to cont. ~.~.~**_

_Pics for the chap and my blog address are up on my profile. __**Banner**__ for FFNTLPM on my blog but I think it needs to be downloaded and viewed through your computer to be seen properly._

'_Dine and Dash' summary_

_Rival gangs, rival hearts. Maybe he went too far but she was worth risking a gang war for. He wanted her, now he's got her..._

_That dare was unexpected but it served its purpose, the purpose he needed it to. Bella gets dared to dine & dash a __restaurant__ but gets caught by the owner, Edward Cullen. He's a 19 year old, deadly sexy gang leader and the enemy of the gang her __best friend__ Jacob belongs to. __Now he's found a way to spin her dare so that it works in his favour. Her dare's got her stuck__ in his territory working at his __restaurant under his supervision__ to avoid a permanent record. What more could a Cullen ask for?... Smut AU/AH Possessive and Dominantward__. __Rated M, Edward/Bella, Romance Crime and __Humor_


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